Factsheet #11
Speaking up for Black equality
Achieving equality for Black workers and communities is an intrinsic
part of strengthening our public services and building a fairer society.
Black people are a key group in UK society

today 11% of the UK population and 8% of the UK workforce describe
themselves as coming from a Black or Ethnic Minority background

Black workers are projected to account for over half of the growth in Britain’s
working age population over the next decade

Black workers play an important role in delivering public services, accounting
for around 8% of the public sector workforce

Without Black workers, vital services would collapse, including the NHS where
19% of the nurses and 11% of non-medical staff are non-white.
But Black people still face disadvantage and discrimination

research shows that Black workers are still confronted with discrimination at
every stage in employment, from accessing work to redundancy

they are disproportionately concentrated in lower-paying jobs and underrepresented among higher occupational scales

around two-fifths of Black people live in low-income households, twice the rate
for White people. 45% of Black children are poor

surveys show that Black people frequently struggle with unequal access to
education, healthcare, social services, housing and other key services

only 4% of local councillors, 2.7% of senior managers in local government,
2.3% of MPs, and 3.5% of senior civil servants are Black

Black people are almost seven times more likely to be in prison than white
people
“I help under-represented groups to apply for jobs. The recession has made it
harder because there are more people looking for work, and fewer jobs available
to promote. Cutting spending on my service would mean a reduction in
commitment to equalities and less representation of diverse groups.”
– Local Government Employment Outreach Officer, UNISON
UNISON campaigning
for a fairer society
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The impact of the crisis and the cuts
•
Black workers and communities are being hit especially hard by the financial
and economic crisis and will be disproportionately affected by budget
cutbacks.
•
Black unemployment, already high before the recession, has increased
sharply to 14.7% and may rise yet further with public sector spending cuts.
•
Over half of young Black people are unemployed.
•
Services and community projects supporting Black people are already under
threat and many are likely to disappear, at a time when they will be needed
more than ever.
•
New research by UNISON has found that Black workers are being
disproportionately hit by job losses in Local Government. In 17 of London
councils, Black workers are being disproportionately hit by job losses – by as
much as 32%.
•
Black women workers in Local Government are worst affected. In 12 London
councils they being are being disproportionately affected when jobs are lost,
in one council by 18%.
What needs to change

institutional racism in public services and the workplace must be tackled
through regulation, positive action and trade union and community monitoring

positive action and increased investment is needed to meet the needs of Black
people for healthcare, education, social services, housing and other services

public service reorganisations, restructuring or procurement processes must
include Equality Impact Assessments to protect Black workers and users

funding for community and voluntary organisations delivering services and
advocacy for Black people must be protected and improved

we urgently need to improve Black people’s participation in shaping public
services and their representation at all levels of the political system

the over-representation of, and discrimination suffered by, Black people in the
criminal justice system must end
Add your voice
We need as many people as possible to add their voice to our campaign:

talk to your friends, family, co-workers and neighbours

raise these issues with your employer, local media, and political
candidates

take the campaign to workplace or community meetings – or
organise your own – we can help with materials and speakers

visit our website for more information, more campaign ideas and
to tell us what you’ve been doing

Visit unison.org/challengingracism to take action in your workplace
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Feb 2012 / stock no. 2857
Join UNISON
online today at
unison.org.uk/join
or call
0845 355 0845 or
further information
and advice